J O S E P H C. F A L C O N

Louisiana Acadian Singer and Ac-cordion Player Extraordinaire. Born in Rayne, September 28, 1900 - Died in Crowley, November 29, 1965.

Joe Falcon opened a new era in Cajun music when he recorded com-mercially the song, Alfons a Lafayette. That was in 1928, and Cajun record-ings have been made ever since. Joe and his three-piece band, accordion, fiddle and guitar with Joe on vocal, caused a mild furor and a popular top-ic of conversation at the time. In fact, the real Cajun music buffs often bought more than one disk at the time "just in case one got broken."

Although some of the songs in this album were old folk songs 40 years ago, they are still played today al-though changes have come to the mu-sic and songs of the Cajun Country. Many songs have been added; Ameri-can songs have been put to French words; most instruments now have el-ectric amplification; and all music at dance halls comes over public ad-dress systems.

The uniqueness of this album is that it was recorded live at a real fais-dodo without thought of publica-tion at the time. The real atmos-phere of the folk music and folk danc-ing was captured, however, at the ex-pense of some of the words- which never seemed to be too important to those engaged in dancing at the time. For the real Cajun swing of the music, it is essential that the setting be a live one.

Cajun dance bands are what one might call fluid ; personnel changes with time. The only constant in this case was Joe. He had played hund-reds of dances and made many doz-ens of recordings with his first wife, the deceased Cleoma Breaux Falcon and her brothers who likewise had their own bands at different times. But this band included his second wife, Theresa Meaux Falcon, who al-so sang and played drums. Cleoma had been a singer and a guitar player.

Filling out the quartet of this band, The Silver Bells, were Allen Richard and Lionel Leleux, both of whom sang and played guitar and fiddle, respectively. As with practically all · Cajun bands, the leader is the main vocalist although others alternate in

doing the vocals but always as solo-ists. For some unknown reason, Cajuns sing only as soloists.

At this particular dance, as with most Acadian dances, many varieties and sources of music were represent-ed. In true Acadian songs there may be boasting; there may be seeking for pity ; some of them tell of the common things in rural life; but to the surprise of no one, if there is a common denominator, it is love. Danc-ing may be a close second to love as something to sing about.

When commercial recordings be-came popular and more songs were needed, hit tunes were put to French words, and those songs became popu-lar.

Unbeknownst to most Cajuns, some of their liveliest and most popular songs are of Negro origin. Hip et Taiaut and Allons Danser Colinda, supposedly, fall in this category, but as Joe said, "We gave them a little extra twist."

Joe's career and the world of Cajun music were all the same; indeed, Joe was Mr. Cajun Musician himself. It was a great talent that Joseph C. Falcon carried to his grave.

ABOUT THE SONGS

LES FLAMBES D 'ENFER is a two-step sung by Joe Falcon. Some sing this song facetiously , Les Femmes d'Enfer (The Women of Hell) "My dear children, come join me, I'm con-demned, my dearest children, pray for me, I am condemned to the flames of hell for the rest of my life." LE TORTILLA GE (The Cajun Twist) is played to the tune of "Keep a Knock-ing, but you can't come in."

They told me that there is a new dance It is called the twist

Come meet me, baby- we'll go do the twist All night long at Uncle Gustav's.

ALLONS A LAFAYETTE (Let's go to Lafayette) another two-step and the first Cajun song ever put on a disc and the song which marks the beginning and the end of Joe's long recording history. OSSON TWO STEP is another song seeking pity. "The country can \ grow but it can never be better ... we are at the height of our happiness. " HTP ET TAJAUT_is a two-step about two dogs, Hip and Hound. The two

dogs stole the man's sled, and when they saw he was hot, they returned the sled. The girls from Bosco steal his vest and when they saw he was hot, they return it. Next they steal and return his cravat. ALLONS DAN SER COLINDA (Let's dance Colinda), a two-step, supposedly, of Negro ori-gin.

Let's dance, Colinda, dance close, Colinda, to make the old Ladies mad, It's not every one who knows how to dance the old time dances . . . when your mama is not there, let's dance to make the old Ladies mad.

Notes by Lauren C. Post (1967)

Recordings on Arhoolie Records of music from Louisiana:

F 1009 ZYDECO Various Artists

F 1024 CLIFTON CHENIER Louisiana Blues and Zydeco

F 1031 CLIFTON CHENIER Bon Ton Roulet

F 1038 CLIFTON CHENIER Black Snake Blues

F 5003 LUDERIN DARBONE'S HACKBERRY RAMBLERS

F 5004 CAJUN F AIS DO DO Various Artists

F 5005 JOSEPH FALCON & HIS SIL VER BELL STRING BAND

F 5005

JOSEPH FALCON

Louisiana Cajun Music

LES FLAMBES D'ENFER

LE TORTI LLAGE

LACASSINE SPECIAL

ALLONS A LAFAYETTE

OSSON TWO STEP

HIP ET TAIAUT

CREOLE STOMP

ALLONS DANSER COLINDA

Joseph Falcon-vocals and accordion

Theresa Falcon-drums

Lionel Leleux-fiddle

Allen Richard-guitar

Recorded by Valerie Post at the Triangle Dance Hall in Scott, La. , on July 2, 1963.

Produced with the cooperation of Theresa Falcon.

Cover photo by Chris Strachwitz at dance in Crowley, La., with same group except Mr. Mier on guitar.

Cover art: Wayne Pope

@ 1968 by Arhoolie Records Inc.

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